A Padawan's Discovery
by sunnie5
Summary: Growing up on Shili can be dangerous for anyone. This is especially true for a force sensitive toddler. An origin story of Ahsoka Tano based on information revealed in the Ahaoka's Untold Stories Panel.
1. Chapter 1

**So here is the first chapter! I know this chapter it a bit slow, but it should hopefully pick up later on. Reviews are highly appreciated!**

 **Prologue**

 _The night air was cold, even for early winter. Most winters in this particular region of Shili never saw snow, but rain and cold winds were common. This night was no exception. Although the rain had ceased a couple hours before, the wind was bitter as it bit through the village of Kadin, which was inhabited by members of the Tano tribe. Most of the villagers were asleep as it was late. A small house at the edge of the village was one of the few exceptions._

 _"_ _Breath, Lilac. Deep breaths," reminded the healer. A woman in her early thirties lay on a bed, grasping the sheets and crying out as another contraction took hold. This one was stronger. Both the healer and the woman knew it wouldn't be much longer._

 _The healer dabbed the perspiration on the woman's head with a cloth. As she did so, she couldn't help the gnawing feeling of worry as they awaited the child's arrival. It was too early, and she knew that the baby's chances of surviving low. Especially during such a cold winter._

 **/**

Lilac and Khan smiled at the little bundle in their arms. _A girl_. They finally had a little girl.

"Mom?" came a tentative voice. Ty, their 10 year old son, stood unsure in the doorway behind a partially opened curtain. Their now middle child, a boy of 7, stood just behind him.

Lilac smiled at them and Khan ushered them in. The healer stood in the corner as she cleaned up the room from the delivery.

"Boys, meet your little sister," Lilac lowered the bundle so her sons could get a better glimpse.

Ty smiled and leaned forward. Kido simple scrunched his nose and let out a little huff, "I wanted it to be a _boy_."

"Kido," his father reprimanded.

The boy in question crossed his arms defiantly and pouted. His mother let out a small chuckle.

"What's her name?" asked Ty.

"We don't have one yet, remember? The babies don't get their names until they're a week old," Lilac reminded her son.

It was a tradition in the Tano tribe to not announce a new child's name until they were a week old. Then, they would be given a name in a community-wide ceremony. Kido gave a disinterested yawn, his eyes drooping. Khan began ushering the boys to their room for bed.

Left alone with her daughter, Lilac studied her daughter's face. Her skin was a soft tan. Her cheeks had a small white dot on each, while her forehead was graced with a small crown-like shape. Her nearly nonexistent lekku and montrals showed signs that they would be blue striped, like the rest of their family.

Despite the beauty of the small child, Lilac's face creased with worry. She had now given birth to a total of three kids. None of them had been nearly as early or small as the little girl in her arms. On top of that, the baby had yet to open her eyes. She was so still. So small…

Khan reentered the room and carefully sat on the bed with his wife. Seeing her worry, he asked, "Have you tried getting her to nurse again?"

"I was just about to," Lilac replied. Holding the baby up, she seemed to have a hard time suckling, as though she lacked the strength.

The healer, a middle aged Togrutan woman named Mica, watched nervously. She had seen infants like this before. None of them had made it to their naming ceremonies. This particular child, she hadn't expected to survive the first hour, but the moon's position had just proved that theory wrong. Still, the little girl had barely cried after birth. It was more of a soft whining noise. Being so early, her lungs weren't developed properly. Chances were she would be dead by morning. While Mica had accepted this, she was reluctant to share the news with Lilac and Khan.

The baby gave up her attempt to nurse and Lilac repositioned her carefully, sighing in disappointment. Mica sighed to, approaching the parents to deliver the bitter news.

"I… I am sorry to have to say this. But I think you two should prepare yourselves that the girl will not survive to her naming ceremony. Even surviving the night would be a miracle. Her lungs just aren't strong enough and she is too weak. Especially with the cold of winter. I'm sorry…"

Lilac choked back a sob, covering her face with one hand and pulling her daughter to her chest with the other. Khan placed a hand on his wife's shoulder, closing his eyes tightly. He took a breath and straightened back up. Then, to Mica's surprise he looked at her with set determination. "The little one will survive," he declared.

Mica's face filled with pity, but she said nothing.

"Just tell us what we need to do for her," he demanded respectfully.

Mica complied, keeping her silent disagreement to herself. "As I said, the child is weak. Chances are she won't wake up on her own to feed. So you will need to wake her every couple of hours and get her to nurse as much as you can. Keep her warm. She can't produce enough of her own body heat, so keep her wrapped and close to your chest. Your own body heat will be the best supplement. I'm afraid at her age, there is not much else."

Mica excused herself and collected her things. Khan went to walk her out. As she stepped out the door, she tried to reason with him one last time. "Khan, you need to be prepared for the worst. I've seen infants like this too many times to have hope for her. Please, don't give Lilac false hope."

Khan only thanked her for her opinion and moved to return to his wife and daughter. He didn't know why, but he was filled with firm belief that his daughter would be a survivor. He just knew it. He had to believe.

 **/**

Lilac watched closely over her very young daughter throughout the next several days. She did indeed survive the first night, much to their relief and Mica's surprise. She did not exactly get better, but she didn't get worse either.

Getting the infant to eat was a feat. Keeping her warm required constant holding. Not that Lilac minded. The baby was so fragile, she was almost always holding her, even as she slept. Khan held her the few moments Lilac couldn't, but sometimes getting Lilac to hand their daughter off was like trying to convince the clan leader to step down. He didn't take this personally. He knew his wife's fear. That if she put her baby down or took her eye off her for more than a moment, the girl would fade away.

The child was almost six days old now. The sun was lowering on the fifth night. Lilac couldn't bear to be without her daughter for more than a couple of minutes. Every hour, she was sure they would lose her by the end of the day. She still hadn't opened her eyes. She never cried. Occasionally she would make a soft pitiful whining noise and seemed to have trouble breathing. She was always so still…

After five days of Lilac barely eating, sleeping, or putting the baby down for more than two minutes, Khan and the healer had finally convinced her to go for a walk with her husband and sons. Mica would remain in their house to care for the baby as it was too cold and wet for her outside.

At first, Lilac had adamantly refused to leave her daughter. Not even for the half hour walk. In the end, it was for her two other children that she agreed to go. Khan had gently reminded her that the boys needed their mother too.

The family walked through the tall grasses that surrounded their village. Ty and Kido were having a fine time chasing the small creatures that lived in the turu-grasses. As the boys gave chase to a large beetle, Lilac smiled softly at their antics. The smile was quickly replaced with a look of sorrow. _Her daughter might not live long enough to get to play with her brothers._

Khan studied her face and guessed what she was thinking. Placing an arm around his wife's shoulders, he tried to give her comfort.

"The little one is still hanging in there, Lilac. She has not been weakening or growing worse. You must have some hope," Khan tried to explain.

"She hasn't gotten any better either, Khan. She never cries, barely moves, and hasn't even opened her eyes," Lilac's eyes filled with tears. "One way or another, I just want to _know_! I can't stand just waiting every day, not knowing if she will still be there the next morning."

Khan didn't say anything for the next moment. He didn't know how to convince his wife of his conviction. She wanted proof and he had none. None other than what he could just feel in his gut.

It was then that his eyes spotted it. A tiny blue flower, peeking out from the ground. It was an Ahsoka flower bud. They were strange but beautiful flowers on Shili. Although they were incredibly small and seemingly weak, they were the only flowers not to die off with the cold winter winds and flooding rains. Rather, the flower buds would stay closed up, giving them the appearance of tiny blue blades of grass. Come spring, these flowers would bloom full force. The buds would open up, the flowers would double in size, and their beauty was always astounding.

Khan bent down to pluck the flower bud. Straightening, he handed the delicate treasure to his wife.

"Lilac, if these tiny flowers can survive even the coldest winters against all odds, then our daughter will survive too. These flowers stay shriveled up almost all winter. They are small, delicate. Still, every spring, they bloom when they are ready. Our daughter will be the same. "

She didn't respond to this, but closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath. She wanted to believe Khan. At the same time, if her daughter was going to die, she had to be prepared. She couldn't do that and still have such hope as Khan's, could she?

The family returned to the warmth of the house. Lilac wanted to go to her daughter, but Khan volunteered to see to her while she put the boys to bed. As Khan walked into the room, he set the Ashoka flower bud on the table next to the cradle where the girl had been laid.

Picking her up, he gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"You are going to be just like those Ahsoka flowers aren't you little one? "he asked her.

To his surprise, the little girl gave a happy coo, and the faintest of smiles. Khan smiled too. The smile froze on his face with what happened next. Slowly, the child in is arms blinked opened her eyes for the very first time.

They were the same brilliant blue as the Ahsoka flower on the table.

 **So I hope that wasn't too sappy for you! I really liked the idea of having her named after a flower, so I just went with it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to those who have favorited, followed and reviewed! Hop you like the second chapter. Sorry for any mistakes, and of course, I do not own anything...**

6 months later…

Lilac walked through the small marketplace at the edge of their town. The late spring air was fresh and warm. She held her infant daughter close to her chest in a sling, while a now eight year old Kido walked, still sulking, just behind her.

Their small village was built in a clearing, with the forest surrounding it on three sides, and the ocean boarding the fourth. The center of the town was open for community gatherings and festivals, while the market and houses boarded the perimeter.

Lilac stopped at a booth that held fabric. She needed some new cloth to make diapers for Ahsoka. The small, blue eyed girl sucked her thumb contently as she snuggled in the sling. Her mother smiled as she looked down at her. Ahsoka was still too small for her age, and was always stubborn when it came to feeding. Still, she had made such progress in the past few months.

Winter had been hard. More than once after that first week had she feared Ahsoka would be lost. She had gotten sick a few times. Each time Lilac had though it would be the end of her. Against all odds, Ahsoka had pulled through. Khan had been right. Their daughter would be a survivor.

She still never cried, which was odd. When she had been sick, a soft pitiful whimper had escaped every now and then, but it wasn't exactly crying. The healer attributed it to weak lungs.

Today was Ty's first day out hunting with Khan and other members of their village. Kido, still too young, had desperately wanted to go. He had been begging for days, but Khan remained adamant that he was still too young. Once Kido realized there would be no changing his mind, he took to sulking.

Now, he knew he was stuck for the day with his mother and weird-eyed baby sister. While he enjoyed spending time with his mother most days, ever since the stupid baby arrived, she had only eyes for Ahsoka. She was always hovering around that dumb baby who couldn't do anything for herself! She couldn't eat, stay warm, or even sit up on her own! Now he would be stuck for a whole day, invisible, with Ahsoka getting all of their mother's attention. Meanwhile Ty was probably having the time of his life hunting. Ty might even get the chance to kill his first akul and get a toothed-head dress. It just wasn't fair!

Kido shuffled his foot back and forth in the dirt as his mother bartered for the cost of the fabric. The merchant was asking more than usual. Kido knew it might take a while and sighed. Stupid baby. If it wasn't for her, they wouldn't even need this fabric in the first place.

Lilac was too occupied to notice Kido's pouting at the moment as she haggled over the cost of the soft cloth. For this same reason, she failed to notice that Ahsoka had stopped sucking her thumb and the slight frown that came to the infant's face.

Suddenly, the air was filled with the piercing screaming and crying from the young child. At first, Lilac stood dumbfounded. Ahsoka was not only crying for the first time, she was screaming louder than she had ever heard a child of that age. It turned her blood cold as she desperately tried to calm her. Kido covered his ears in a panic and the other surrounding villagers stared.

No more than a few seconds later, did a familiar large orange furred beast come bounding out from the nearby trees. It came right for them.

On instinct, Lilac snatched up Kido's hand to run. But she wasn't fast enough. The beast charged into her, knocking her back several feet. Kido was torn from her grasp as the akul tackled the boy to the ground.

Kido only registered a few things. There was a heavy weight on top him. Ahsoka was still screaming, others were shouting, and there was suddenly a searing pain in his left leg.

As quick as the attack came, it was gone. One of the villagers had managed to throw his spear into the beast. He was immediately joined by others in the market and they took the akul down, dragging it off the boy.

Lilac was at her son's side the same moment. Desperately, she cried for help as she held his head and hand. Kido was only able to lie there in shock and pain. The only thing his mind was able to continually process was the crying of his baby sister.

/

As the sun set, Khan fell back into a chair as he rubbed his eyes. What should have been a happy day, his oldest son's first hunt, had been an almost tragic one. While they had been out, an akul had entered their village, attacking his younger son.

Kido would live, but his leg was badly damaged. The akul had ripped the skin open from the knee to the lower calf. It was deep enough to expose the bone. The healer, Mica, had managed to treat and bandage the wound after several hours of work. Still, it would scar and Kido wouldn't be walking anywhere for a few weeks.

Kido now slept in his and Ty's shared room. Lilac was watching over him for the night, so Khan would be taking care of Ahsoka. She too was sleeping soundly in the cradle next to him.

Khan stared in wonder at the small girl. Although he had not been there, Lilac had told him what happened. Ahsoka began screaming and crying just before the attack. It was as if she was afraid and knew it was coming. And as Kido was carried and treated, she had carried on her wailing. A family friend had tried to hold and calm her so Lilac could help Mica, but Ahsoka's cries went on as the boy was tended to. It wasn't until Mica administered to Kido a strong pain relieving and sleep inducing herb that Ahsoka quieted and fell asleep instantly. It had been as though she herself had been the one crying in pain and then given the drug for pain relief and sleep.

Despite the strangeness, Khan smiled at his daughter. _Week lungs_!? He laughed at the thought. Based on his wife's recollection, she had lungs alright! Strong ones too. She just hadn't bothered to use them until today. This girl of his was definitely going to be one to do things her own way and in her own time. He was scared to imagine her teenage years.


	3. Chapter 3

One Year Later

 _Run run run!_ Ahsoka thought. She had to hurry! She tucked her beloved doll Tali into a more secure position under her arm. She willed her tiny legs to carry her faster. The monster was coming closer! She could hear him growling and stomping just behind her.

Suddenly she let out a shriek as she was lifted of her feet. It had caught her!

"Roar!" growled Ty as he tickled his small sister in his arms.

The air was filled with Ahsoka's shrieks of laughter. "No… no Ty! Sto…op!" Ahsoka pleaded while still laughing.

Ty chuckled, but set Ahsoka back down on the ground. Ty had been in charge of watching his sister as his parents were out in a village meeting. Kido was supposed to be helping, but was off alone in his room. For the past half hour, he had been pretending to be an akul, chasing his sister around their small living room.

Ahsoka was remarkably fast for a child her age, although she tired quickly and was still too small. Most one and a half year olds could barely walk. But Ahsoka had been able to walk well and even run for months. Her speech was that of a child twice her age and she was painfully observant.

She was beginning to tire now, and dragged her brother's hand over to sit with her and her doll by the fireplace.

"Can you tell me a story?" she pleaded, looking up at him with her large blue eyes.

It sounded more like "An you tell me thory," in her toddler speech, but Ty knew what she meant. Never able to say no to her, Ty recounted the same story he had told her many times. It was the tale of the little boy who had to fight an akul. He was all by himself, and he had no weapons to fight the beast. In the end, he was able to defeat it by outsmarting it and drowning it in a river.

"I woulda just made the akul fly away!" declared Ahsoka in her little voice.

"Akuls can't fly," Ty told her.

"I woulda _made_ it fly."

"But we can't make something fly, Soka," insisted Ty. "That's why the boy in the story outsmarted the akul, remember?"

"I can make my Tali fly," she insisted, holding up her doll.

"Oh, really," asked Ty in amusement. Her imagination was often entertaining to him and his parents.

"Mhmm," she said, eyes drooping.

She snuggled closer and yawned.

Just then, the Lilac and Khan drew open the curtain in the doorway.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Ahsoka's fatigue was forgotten as she raced towards her parents.

Khan picked her up and spun her around. She shrieked in joy and then reached out to be held by her mother. Lilac took Ahsoka in her arms and asked, "Were you good for your brothers?"

Ahsoka nodded her head fervently and squeezed her doll to her chest.

"Good girl!" praised Lilac.

"How was the meeting?" asked Ty. Kido walked out of room to join the family in the common room. Lilac and Khan exchanged a nervous glance that didn't go unnoticed by their three kids.

"What's wrong? Is it the Tora clan? Are we going to war?" asked Kido excitedly.

"One should never be so eager for war, Son," Khan lightly reprimanded. "And to answer your question, we don't know yet."

The past couple of weeks, a neighboring tribe had been getting increasingly aggressive. Their hunters were pushing further and further into the Tano territory, despite the threats made to them if they didn't stop. Earlier that day, a group of the Tano hunters had spotted several Tora scouts. A conflict had ensued. One of the Tora had been killed, and now they feared retribution.

"Let's hope that war is avoidable. But if does occur, your mother and I will need to help fight to preserve our tribe."

"I want to help. We can fight too!" Kido and Ty both exclaimed excitedly.

Khan shook his head fondly at his boys. His voice was stern but soft. "I'm afraid you two will have to wait a few years for that. Now, are you kids ready for dinner?"

"Ahsoka fell asleep," Lilac sighed. "I'll have to wake her. I want her to eat at least a little before she goes to bed."

The family of five settled down to eat. Ahsoka fell asleep again half way through the meal, and Ty and Kido talked about what they would do once they were old enough to be warriors like the rest of their tribe.

/

The next morning, Kido and Ty were playing with other kids in their village while Ahsoka watched her parents work at home. They were in the common room as Khan and Lilac worked on fashioning new arrows for their bows. They would need them for a hunting party they had to participate in that afternoon.

At first, Ahsoka had sat in between them with mild interest. She quickly grew bored and began looking around for something to do. Her doll, Tali, was nearby, so Ahsoka stood up to get her. Her parents were busy, and her brothers were out so Ahsoka knew she would have to play alone, but that was okay.

"Look out Tali! The akuls are coming!" Ahsoka yelled and ran to the other side of the room as she dragged her doll.

Lilac smiled as she heard her daughter laughing and running around, but didn't look up from her work.

"You need to climb the tree to hide! I'll fight them off," Ahsoka cried. "No, Tali! Go higher!"

Lilac glanced up from her work to tell her daughter to not to yell inside. What she saw made her jaw drop. The doll was floating in midair!

"Ahsoka!" she cried in fear. What was going on!? Khan looked up just in time to see the toy suspended, before it dropped to the floor with a thunk.

Lilac raced over to Ahsoka. Picking her up, she looked around the room in fear. Startled, Ahsoka eyes filled with tears.

"What was that?" asked Khan in disbelief.

"I don't know," replied Lilac as she held Ahsoka.

Ahsoka didn't exactly know why her parents were so upset, but knew it had something to do with her.

"I'm sorry," she cried.

Lilac set her down and got on her knees before her. "It's okay little one. You're not in trouble."

"But I made you upset when I made Tali fly," she whimpered.

"Ahsoka, did _you_ do that?" Khan asked in disbelief. She guiltily nodded her head. She didn't know why it was wrong to make Tali fly, but she was upset that it had made her parents distressed.

The parents exchanged troubled glances before looking back to their young daughter.

"Ahsoka," said Khan as he got down to his knees next to her. "Do you think you can do it again?"

Ahsoka looked reluctant. She didn't want to upset them again, but her father reassured her she wasn't in any trouble. Slowly, Ahsoka stepped away and faced her discarded doll. The doll lifted off the ground and made its way into Ahsoka's outstretched arms. She couldn't tell if what she had done was good or bad and looked to her parents for approval.

Both Khan and Lilac were wide eyed with shock. Khan slowly stood up. Still in a daze, he patted Ahsoka's head and said, "I'm… I'm going to speak to Sha'an. I'll be back before the hunt this afternoon."

/

Sha'an was the leader of the Tano clan and Khan's older cousin. Sha'an had been his closest mentor growing up and remained so to this day. He was known for being wise and fair, hence his occupation as their leader. Khan knew his cousin would also be at his home making preparations for the afternoon hunt, so he headed to his hut.

"Welcome Cousin!" Sha'an greeted him warmly. However, one look at the younger man's face and he knew something was wrong.

"What is it?" he asked concerned.

Khan didn't know how to begin. "It's… it's Ahsoka."

"Is she sick again?" he inquired.

Khan shook his head and sat down. "No… no. Do you remember those years ago? When we heard about the child from the Ti tribe? She could move things without touching them and they said she had something? The 'force' I think it was called."

"Yes I do," replied Sha'an, still confused as to where this was going. "They said she was taken away to become a Jedi. It was a great honor for the Ti tribe."

"I think Ahsoka has the force," admitted Khan reluctantly. He recounted to the leader what had just happened with her doll, as well as other incidents such as how she always seemed to know how others were feeling.

While Khan was distressed as he recounted these things, Sha'an's face filled with wonder.

"Surely this is a good thing, Khan!" He said. "If Ahsoka's truly does have the force, perhaps the Jedi will come for her too. It would bring honor to both your family and all of the Tano tribe! The Jedi are known to be excellent warriors, and we have never had one of our own join them."

Khan knew Sha'an was right, but the thought of losing his only daughter weighed far heavier than the honor she could potentially bring as a Jedi. He told his cousin so.

"Giving up a child is hard," consented Sha'an. "Try not to worry about, Khan. We don't even know if a Jedi would ever even find out about her; much less come for her."


	4. Chapter 4

**So… I really wasn't impressed by this chapter, but it was the best my tired brain could do. Sorry for any mistakes.**

 **I do not own Star Wars :'(**

Several weeks passed and word spread throughout the tribe of Ahsoka. Up until now, she had been known for being advanced and clever, though small. This quickly changed, and she was viewed with excited wonder and potential.

Many urged Khan and Lilac, that if the Jedi do come for her, to allow her to go. Whenever conversations steered to this topic, Khan was always became reluctant and indecisive.

Lilac however, often became irritated or even angry. How could any of her fellow tribesmen expect her sweet little daughter to become such a warrior as a Jedi? True, the Tano clan held warriors in high esteem. She was one herself, like most of the tribe. But Ahsoka was too sweet. Too innocent. Secretly, Lilac had been planning to have Ahsoka train under Mica as a healer when she was older. Healers were also held in high honor, but were not required to serve as warriors. Healers had to be empathetic and smart; two of her daughter's already strongest traits. What's more, how could her fellow clansmen and family speak of honor, when Ahsoka becoming a Jedi would mean she would be taken away forever?

No. Ahsoka would not ever be taken away by a Jedi. Not if Lilac had anything to say about it. She had almost lost her youngest child a dozen times over that first winter alone. She would not lose her to the Jedi now or in the future. No way.

Lilac sighed as she kissed her three children goodbye. She, Khan, and several others from the village were going for a day long hunt. Food was running low and it was almost winter again. Ty and Kido would remain behind to complete chores, simple house repairs, and to watch Ahsoka.

Ahsoka was being unusually clingy to her mother that morning. While she had always been attached to her parents and never liked it when one of them left, she was acting rather strange. Even now, Ahsoka remained glued to her mother's leg as she tried to leave. When Lilac tried to gently pry her off, Ahsoka whimpered.

"Are you feeling sick, little one?" She asked picking her up.

Ahsoka shook her head and whispered no. Still concerned, Lilac gave her daughter one last hug before setting her down.

Turning to her sons, she instructed them to get Mica if Ahsoka started showing any symptoms of sickness. She left shortly after that. As much as she wanted to stay with her upset daughter, she couldn't make Khan and the others wait. They needed to hunt.

/

Ahsoka held back tears as she watched her parents walk away into the forest from the doorway. She didn't feel sick, but she definitely did not feel _good_. She didn't know how to put it into words, but something felt bad, wrong. Holding tightly to her doll, Ahsoka looked up at Kido as he swept the floor.

Ty went off to run a quick errand, so Kido was supposed to watch her until he got back.

"Kio? I want Mommy," she still could not fully pronounce his name.

"Well Mom's not here. She's hunting with Dad," Kido snapped, not even bothering to look up.

Ahsoka sniffled and went to sit by the fire. She knew Kido wasn't in a good mood and it was best to stay out of his way. She didn't want to make him more upset.

Thankfully, it wasn't much longer before Ty returned. He saw his sister sitting forlornly across the room.

"What's the matter 'Soka?" he asked picking her up.

"I want Mommy," she repeated.

Kido gave a heavily annoyed groan. Ahsoka buried her head in Ty's chest.

"You know, it wouldn't kill you to be nice to Ahsoka every once in a while," Ty said to his brother.

"Yes, _Dad,"_ Kido remarked sarcastically.

Ty returned his attention back to his sister. "Mom and Dad will be back tonight, okay little one? Until then why don't you help me with my chores?"

The next few hours passed easily enough. Ashoka 'helped' Ty with his chores until she tired and fell asleep again. Ty and Kido used that time to complete the remainder of their work. After this, Kido wanted to go out to play with their friends, so Ty scooped up Ahsoka in the sling and made way for the village center.

Several others around their ages were already there, and the brothers easily joined into the ongoing game of tag. For a while, Ty ran around with Ahsoka at his chest in the sling. He subconsciously knew his mother would _not_ approve of the setup, because Ahsoka could get hurt, but his sister seemed to enjoy the fast pace of his running and dodging.

When Ahsoka got tired of the confinement, He let her run around with them. She seemed happier, unlike that morning. She was giggling as one of the older kids, a 12 year old girl named Mia, 'chased' her playfully. That was one thing Ty liked about his friends. They didn't get exasperated with the presence of Ahsoka, but rather enjoyed including the toddler. Well, most of them. Kido and a few of the other younger kids were off to the side to continue their original game of 'real' tag.

Ahsoka's laughter continued to ring out as she ran around. Mia playfully reached out to tag her when Ahsoka suddenly stopped running and dropped onto her bottom. She looked dazed. Hugging herself, she sniffled before letting out a piercing wail. "I want Mommy!" she screamed. Some of the kids plugged their ears. Mia looked slightly panicked and turned to Ty. "I barely tagged her, I swear!"

"I know, this wasn't your fault, Mia. I don't know what's wrong with her."

Ty tried to pick up and hush Ahsoka, but the girl wasn't having it. She continued to wail and struggle in Ty's arms. The only audible words that came were cries for her mother. Ty sighed, and then called out to his brother that they needed to go.

"Ugh! She always ruins everything!" Kido exclaimed and stomped off back to their house.

Ty tried to match his brother's pace. It was difficult to do with a hysterical and struggling toddler in his arms. Not to mention incredibly awkward, since every other villager they past stopped to stare.

"What's the matter?" he asked one of them. "Haven't you ever seen a toddler throw a tantrum before?"

As he set her down in the middle of the living room floor, he couldn't help but worry. She just lay there, kicking her legs and screaming. He had never seen her throw a tantrum before. True, it was a normal act for most toddlers. But Ahsoka had never been normal. He was seriously considering sending Kido (who was currently on his bed plugging his ears with a pillow) to get the healer. Suddenly, as quick as her bizarre tantrum began, it ended. She had worn herself out, seemingly, and now lay sleeping on the floor.

Gently, Ty picked her and went to put her in her crib. _Thank goodness that was over!_ Whatever that was, he did not want it to happen again and hoped that his parents made it back before she woke up.

An hour later, Kido was playing a game with dice on the floor in the common room. Ahsoka was still sleeping. Ty was just starting to doze off in a chair when they heard a commotion outside.

People were shouting. Neither Ty nor Kido could distinguish what exactly was yelled because there were too many voices going at once. Still, something was clearly wrong. Kido wanted to go outside to see what was going on, but Ty felt a warning that it was not a good idea. As they argued about it, the curtain in the door way swung open.

"Mom, Dad! What's going on outside?" They started to ask.

Both stopped probing when they saw that the first one through the door was not their parents, but their uncle, Sha'an. However, Khan came in just behind him. The looks on both of their faces were enough to keep both boys silent.

Something was very wrong.

Khan collapse in a chair and Sha'an placed a hand on his shoulder. Ty and Kido exchanged a look. _Their father was crying! He had never, ever cried before!_

Sha'an motioned for the boys to come closer and had them sit in front of him.

"I'm afraid we have some bad news, boys" he began. "Earlier today on our hunt, we were ambushed members of the Tora clan. I'm sorry but… your mother was killed."

 **I hope this chapter made sense. I figured if Ahsoka was close to her family, she would have some sort of bond with each of them as she is close to them. If one of them died or was hurt, she would sense it, which is what I tried to convey in this chapter. She felt the loss of her mom, which is why she had the freak out (also I hate writing depressing things, but it was needed for the plot).**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the wait! I was out of town this week and wasn't able to update until today. This chapter is mostly from Ahsoka's toddler point of view (so the writing may seem a bit simplified)…**

 **As always: I don't own Star Wars and I apologize for any mistakes.**

One year later…

"Ahsoka, you need to eat the stew!" 10 year old Kido said in exasperation. He was trying to be patient, he really was. But the two and a half year old would just not cooperate! Kido had spent an hour cooking the dumb stew, and now his sister wouldn't touch it.

She needed to eat to get her strength back. The weather had been colder, and she had gotten sick. Again. She had run a pretty high fever and lost some weight. She was better now, but still had a small cough.

"I don't like it," the two and half year old stated, and turned her head away from the spoon Kido was trying to force into her mouth.

"What do you mean?" he asked dumbfounded. "It's good stew. See?" Kido took a bite. Instantly, he spit the spoonful out onto the floor and made choking noises. _Okay, yeah she was right. That was terrible!_ He tried to stop the watering in his eyes.

Ahsoka gave him a look as if to say 'I told you so' as he wiped up his mess. How a two year old could pull off such a snarky look was beyond him.

The past year had been hard on the small family. There had been a short but devastating war with a nearby clan, the Tora. Both groups lost dozens of their people, including their mother Lilac, before their leaders reached a truce. Tensions still ran high between the two groups, but as long as they stayed out of each other's territories, peace seemed promising.

The family had been able to work out an arrangement for Ahsoka's care. The boys would take turns going out hunting with Kido, or on other tasks away from home, with the other staying home to watch their sister, complete chores, and prepare meals.

This arrangement would have been flat out rejected by Kido a year ago. It had been no secret that he had zero tolerance for his baby sister. This changed after their mother died.

On that first horrible night, Kido had ran into his and Ty's room after hearing the news. He refused to speak to anyone the first few days or even cry. Khan knew it was shock. His father and uncle had tried to comfort him, as they did for Ahsoka and Ty, but he refused their attentions. He just didn't want to accept it.

It was a couple days later when that changed. Kido was sitting alone in his room like he had been when Ahsoka padded in hesitantly.

"Kio?" she asked.

Kido had turned his head away, hoping she would leave. She did the opposite.

"Kio sad," she said with a tremble in her small voice. She then walked up, and promptly wrapped her small arms around him.

At first Kido was just shocked. Ahsoka had rarely touched him voluntarily. She had always seemed to sense his disdain for her and chose to keep her distance. Once the surprise wore off, he pushed her away harshly. "Go away, Ahsoka!"

She fell down and sniffled. After a moment, she bravely stood back up and reached out to him again. "I want Mommy too, Kio," she told him.

Kido's eyes filled with angry tears. "Well Mom is dead, Ahsoka! So it doesn't matter what we want!"

Then Kido did cry. He buried his face in his hands as he sobbed. He felt Ahsoka's small arms try to hug him once more. "I love you, Kio," she said while crying too.

Kido surprised himself with what he did next. Without thinking, he removed his hands and wrapped his own arms around his sister, clinging to the small frame as they both cried at their shared grief.

Things had changed between the two of them after that. Kido no longer resented the presence of Ahsoka (though he still got annoyed from time to time. The girl was _stubborn!_ ). She often actively sought him out to be held or played with like she did with Ty and their father. Kido also found himself becoming fiercely protective over the toddler, often fussing over the smallest details of her well-being as their mother had.

Today, it was Kido's day to stay at home with Ahsoka. His father and 13 year old brother were taking care of some business matter in the village center. Kido tried to find some spices to fix the disaster stew so they could eat. Meanwhile, Ahsoka was growing tired of sitting at the table.

"Can I go play outside?"

"No, play inside for now, Ahsoka," Kido said without looking up.

"Pllleeeaaase."

"No! You are staying inside today."

Ahsoka pouted and jumped off the chair. She looked at the doll in her arms. She _really_ wanted to go outside. Lately though, Kido seemed bent on keeping her cooped up. And she knew better to make her toys fly in the air if Kido was in the room. The last time she had done that, he had yelled at her. She didn't like that.

The truth behind the matter was simple, though Ahsoka didn't know it. Kido was terrified of losing Ahsoka. People in the village kept talking about the chances of Ahsoka becoming a Jedi and being taken away. He hoped that the more he kept her out of sight of the villagers, and made sure she didn't do that 'force' trick thing, there would be less a chance of the Jedi ever finding her and taking her from them.

But of course, Ahsoka was too young to realize this. All she knew at the moment was that she _really_ wanted to go outside to play. Really, really badly. Kido was still working on that awful stew. He wasn't even paying attention. Her Daddy and Ty would let her play outside. Maybe, she could sneak out to play. Just for a minute. She would be back inside before Kido even knew she was gone.

Seeing that her brother was still distracted, Ahsoka grabbed her doll, Tali and tip-toed out the door. Once there, she laughed and made Tali fly as she ran. Tali missed flying, she thought. She reasoned she would just run around the perimeter of the house. Just one time. Then she would go back inside. There was no harm in that, was there?

Their house was at the edge of the village. It boarded the grassy meadow, which was the only barrier between their village and the forest beyond. Ahsoka was just rounding the corner when she heard it. She stopped in her tracks to listen, setting Tali back down. It was sad. It was scared. Whatever it was, it was coming from the forest and it needed help.

She had to help it! Doll and brother forgotten, Ahsoka's short legs took off across the meadow and into the dense forests. Ahsoka was so focused on following the sad sound, she paid little attention to where she was going. It was getting closer… She passed by a few more trees and the sound got louder. Finally she saw it.

There, at the base of a tree and surrounded by shrubbery was a baby Convor. It was making frightened chirping sounds. Almost like it was crying. It was the noise Ahsoka had followed. She immediately recognized what the problem was. The baby convor had fallen from its nest. It was too little to fly back up to its mommy convor, which was currently hopping on the branches, clearly in distress as she watched her chick below.

Ahsoka approached slowly. She could _feel_ its fear and its distress. This feeling overwhelmed the sensitive girl and she fought tears of empathy as she scooped it up with gentle hands.

"It's okay baby," she soothed. "I won't hurt you. I can help."

The convor quieted its chirps as it realized the being was not a threat.

Ahsoka smiled at it. "I can make Tali fly. So I can make you fly up, back to your mommy."

Suddenly the baby convor began rising in the air. Up it went. Its chirps changed from a sound of fear to excitement as it found itself back in the safety of the nest with its mother.

Ahsoka smiled at her accomplishment. The baby was safe and happy. It wasn't crying anymore. Ahsoka turned around to return home. If she didn't hurry, Kido would realize she was missing and she would be in trouble.

Frowning, she did a 360 turn. All of the trees looked the same… Which way had she come from? Which way was home? Suddenly her heart dropped. She was lost.


	6. Chapter 6

**The next chapter after this is where the story is going to start revolving more around the Untold Stories panel.**

 **I do not own Star Wars...**

Kido added another handful of the spices. Bravely risking another taste, he figured the stew was at least edible now.

"Okay, Ahsoka. Time to eat…" Kido glanced around the room. "Ahsoka?" he called.

No answer. _Ugh! I told her to stay inside! So help me, if she is running around outside using that force trick again she will be in so much trouble!_

A quick trip outside turned Kido's frustration to fear. Ahsoka was gone.

/

Ahsoka shivered as she walked slowly through the trees. She was scared and her feet hurt. She wished she had Tali with her. She was lost in the forest all alone. Well… sort of alone. She could feel surrounding creatures staring at her. Watching her. What if one of them was an akul? She shivered again.

She had tried calling for help, but her voice was still raspy from being sick a few days ago. Every attempt came out as a cough. Suddenly, she heard the sound of stomping feet. It was coming closer. With a gasp, Ahsoka took off in the opposite direction. She was tired. She couldn't run much longer and desperately looked for a place to hide.

/

"Dad! Dad! Ty!" Kido yelled as he ran to the village center where his father and brother were in a meeting with some of the other villagers. He was breathing hard from the exertion and panic.

Khan saw his son and rose to meet him. "What is it, Son?

"Ahsoka's gone! I can't find her anywhere! I found her doll by the back of the house but she's gone!" Kido was near hysterics.

Ty ran up to his father and brother, concern on his face. Khan nearly felt like falling to hysterics himself but forced himself to stay calm.

"Calm down, Kido," he ordered gently, placing his hands on the boy's shoulders. "We'll find her. Ty, come with me! Kido, I want you to go back to the house in case she comes back."

Sha'an rose to join in the search as did several of the other villagers from the meeting. Getting in groups of two, each fanned out to search the surrounding forest for the missing child.

Ty and his Father took the stretch of forest closest to their house, knowing that if she had left the village, that was the direction she was most likely to have gone. They had been searching for less than half an hour when they heard something that sounded suspiciously close to a cough come from the shrubbery.

"Ahsoka!?"

A small head peeked out from within a thick bush. "Daddy!"

Ahsoka leapt out of her hiding spot and ran into her father's open arms. She was shaking badly, though he didn't know if it was from being cold or scared. Probably both, he thought. Other than various scratches on her arms and legs, she seemed unharmed and Khan breathed a sigh of relief. Ty did as well, joining into the little group hug before they began the trek back.

"Ahsoka, what in the blazes were you thinking? Why did you run off?" Khan demanded as he carried her.

"I had to help it." She said earnestly.

"Help… what?"

"The baby convor. It felled from its nest. It was scared and crying. So I had to help it. But then I got lost."

Khan and Ty were both still confused. Her explanation didn't seem to make sense.

"But why did you wonder off in the first place? Don't you know how dangerous that was?" he questioned, desperate to make his daughter see reason, lest she repeat this little adventure again.

"I told you. The baby was _crying_. I felt it from outside the house, so I followed the crying so I could help it." She replied equally determined.

Khan shook his head and exchanged a glance with his son who walked beside him. Neither one of them thought her explanation made any sense. Still, Khan knew that whatever the cause was for his daughter's little adventure, it was something to do with her special 'force' gift. He shook his head and asked no more questions.

After arriving back at the house, Ty went off to signal to the others that his sister had been found. Ahsoka was still shivering, so Khan wrapped her in a blanket and sat with her by the fireplace.

Kido was immensely relieved that Ahsoka was found. No one commented on the fact that he had been hugging Ahsoka's doll when they first walked in. Since then, he had discarded it on the floor.

Now, Ahsoka sat snuggly on her father's lap as he rocked her back and forth by the fire. She was tired, but didn't feel like sleeping. She could still feel her heart beating fast from the ordeal. She had been so scared that she had hidden in the scratchy bushes.

Thankfully, she knew she was as safe as could be; back at home in her father's arms. Shivering, she wanted her doll. She thought that Tali might still be scared to. Ahsoka could see the doll a few feet away on the floor, but she was comfortable and didn't want to leave the blanket or her father's lap.

Without much thought, she reached out a hand and the doll began to float to her. It was only a couple inches away when her concentration was broken.

"AHSOKA STOP!" Kido screamed at her, jumping up. "I told you before to not EVER move stuff with your mind again! Why can't you just be normal?!"

His outburst terrified the small girl. The doll dropped to the floor and she buried her face in Khan's chest and began to cry. Why was it so bad to make Tali fly?

Khan ran a comforting hand across Ahsoka's back. With the other hand, he stooped down to pick up the fallen doll before handing it back to his frightened daughter. With a stern glare, he turned his head to Kido. "Son, go to your room. Now."

Kido was breathing heavily in frustration and stomped off to his room.

"I'm sorry." Ahsoka whimpered.

Khan gently wiped the tears from her face. "It's alright Little Flower. You're not in any trouble."

"Why is it bad to make Tali fly?" she asked with a sniffle.

Khan sighed. "There is nothing wrong with making Tali fly. I think it just scares your brother a bit."

"Why?"

Khan didn't know how to make the two and a half year old fully understand. After a pause he said, "Because… Kido loves you very much, Ahsoka. We all do. You can do very special things that none of us can. Like make Tali fly and hear baby convors cry." He smiled and wiped away another tear. "But those special things you can do… well they make Kido worried sometimes."

"I won't do it any more then," she resigned.

"Ahsoka," Khan said tipping her chin up. "I want you to just be you. Don't let Kido's fears change who you are. Do you understand?"

Ahsoka nodded her head, though she really didn't fully understand. Her daddy and Ty said making Tali fly was okay, but it scared Kido and Kido said it was bad. Maybe she could just make Tali fly in front of Daddy and Ty, but not in front of Kido.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Little Flower?"

"Can I eat?"  
"Of course," he chuckled.

"But Daddy?"

"Hm?"

"I _don't_ want to eat Kido's stew!"

/

As Ahsoka ate the new meal Khan made (he had tried a mouthful of Kido's stew and deemed it unfit for Togrutan consumption, so he made an entirely new meal), Khan went to speak with Kido in his room.

Sitting next to his son on his bed, Khan gave a small sigh. Before he said anything, Kido spoke up.

"I know I shouldn't have yelled at her, okay? I don't need a lecture."

"This isn't the first time you've snapped at her for using her special abilities, Kido," Khan reprimanded softly.

Kido felt defensive. "Well I've told her to stop using those tricks! But she keeps doing it. And I can tell, it bothers you and Ty too. You just don't say anything!"

Khan gave another sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Son, yes… sometimes it makes me weary. She has abilities none of us truly understand. But we cannot limit her. We should not hold her back from her full potential. As her family, it is our job to love Ahsoka and help her grow; not make her feel bad for being different. We cannot allow our own fears to hold her back."

Kido's eyes began to fill with guilty tears. He risked asking the question that had plagued his mind the past several months. "Dad… are the Jedi going to take Ahsoka away?"

Khan placed a comforting hand on Kido's back.

"No, Son. I will admit to having considered this in the past. But I decided some time ago that even if a Jedi does come to take her, I will make sure she stays here. She belongs with us."

Kido gave a big sigh of relief, hugging his father as he did so.

"That's the reason Ahsoka's abilities have been bothering you so much, Isn't it? Why you have been keeping her coopt up inside the house? You were afraid of the Jedi finding her," Khan asked for clarification.

Kido nodded his head guiltily. "Yeah… I just thought… that maybe if she stopped using her abilities and wasn't seen outside as much, there would be less of a chance for her to be taken away."

Khan reassured his son again that he had no intentions of allowing Ahsoka to be taken away. Shortly after, Kido went out into the common room to eat their very late lunch and to apologize to Ahsoka.

Although Khan had spoken the truth to Kido, and he was firmly convinced that he would never give Ahsoka up, he could not help the nagging feeling that someday he would have to let his daughter go. He never spoke a word of this fear to Kido and he prayed that his feeling was wrong.

 ** _So, just to clarify: Ahsoka unknowingly used the force to hear the convor from far away. Then she used the force to be able to know what it was feeling. Let me know if anything needs more clarification for this chapter. Everything makes sense in my head but I'm not sure if it makes sense to everyone else!_**


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for the wait! School is back and running so I have much less time to write. Because I wanted to get an update up, I broke this chapter in two. I plan to have the second half up by the end of this weekend. Sorry for any mistakes! I kind of rushed this… (I don't own Star Wars).**

 _It was late at night. Most of the Temple was sleeping. A certain cloaked figure was an exception as was the small green life form it spoke to._

 _"_ _I had the dream again, Master. I am certain of it now. A warning from the force. There is a youngling in danger."_

 _"_ _Hmm. Right you are. To Shili, you must go. There, the child will be. Leave at once, you must." Replied the small green figure._

 _/_

Ahsoka played happily in front her house. Her father and two brothers were a short distance away chopping fire wood. Ahsoka was happy. She had recently turned three, and was excited to be a 'big girl'. Kido no longer got mad when she made Tali or her other toys fly. In fact, he now seemed to find it amusing.

Despite this and her young age, Ahsoka was beginning to recognize that she was different. In the past few months, she began to understand that she heard and felt things that others couldn't. Not even her family. As much as she tried, she couldn't help the lingering feeling that she was simply out of place.

For her birthday, her father and brothers had made her beautifully carved toy blocks. They all had carvings of different flowers that grew in the meadows behind their house. One of the blocks even had Ahsoka flowers carved into it. That block was her favorite. Now, she sat contentedly, stacking the various blocks with her mind into towers. Tali sat on her lap. A loud crash broke her from her peaceful play.

"Ouch!" Kido yelled, clutching his foot. As Khan chopped the wood, Ty and Kido had been stacking it into a large pile. Said pile had just collapsed, causing a log to fall onto his foot. Ty groaned in annoyance. "It's going to take forever to restack these!"

"I can help!" Ahsoka volunteered eagerly.

"No, Ahsoka. Remember what I said? I don't want you to get hurt, so you need to stay back there," Khan called to her.

Ahsoka gave a huff and crossed her arms. She had tried earlier to make the logs fly to help her brothers stack them, but they were too heavy. She had learned some time ago that she could only make little things fly. Like her doll and blocks.

With a pout, Ahsoka sat back down. Her blocks were stacked in an impressive tower. She saw a few kids around her age playing a few houses down, but she didn't want to join them. She didn't exactly _dislike_ the other kids, but whenever she was with anyone but her immediate family, she always felt shy and out of place. She knew she was different than them and preferred to play by herself.

Turning back to her blocks, Ahsoka decided on a new design for another tower. At first she just had the blocks hover around her in the air before they came together into the new design which was even more intricate than the last. Smiling, Ahsoka placed the last block on the top.

Suddenly, she felt it. She didn't know what it was, but it made her blood run cold. It was coming from behind her. Slowly, Ahsoka risked a glance over her shoulder. She knew before looking that something bad was going to be there, but actually seeing it was no less terrifying. Clutching up her doll, Ahsoka gave a frightened gasp and took off running to the safety of her father and brothers.

"Ahsoka! I thought I told you…" Khan's words died in his mouth when he saw how white his daughter's face was from fright. He picked her up and she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck while barring her face into his chest.

He looked around in confusion for whatever had frightened his daughter when he heard a voice speak from around far corner of his house. It was smooth and feminine.

"I apologize. I fear that I have frightened the youngling."

Before Khan could ask who was there, the owner of the voice stepped out. The person wore an elaborate and flowing robe. The hood covered most of the strange woman's face. Still, it was evident she was not Togrutan.

Khan, Ty, an Kido all straightened in slight alarm.

"Who are you?" demanded Khan, still holding a whimpering Ahsoka.

In response, the woman gracefully pulled back her hood, revealing herself to be a Zygerian. "My name is Jedi Master La Tranz. I come here all the way from Coruscant." She smiled.

Khan felt his heart drop. She was a Jedi. She was here for Ahsoka.

"Well you can go back to Coruscant!" Kido stated with a glare. No one was taking his baby sister away from him. Ty shifted nervously beside him.

"Kido," Khan reprimanded his son for the rude comment. "Go get Sha'an, Kido. Ty, please take Ahsoka inside the house." Ty took the still silent toddler and walked into the house, holding her tightly.

When all three of his children were absent, Khan turned back to La Tranz. "Please forgive my youngest son for his rudeness. May I ask what brings you all the way to our village from Coruscant?" He decided to play innocent.

The woman smiled again. "I hoped to speak to _you_ , actually. I hear that your daughter is a very special child. You said her name was 'Ahsoka'"?

"Yes…" He answered wearily.

"It is a very beautiful name. It suits such a beautiful child," she said grandly.

The Jedi seemed nice enough, but Khan was afraid to tell her outright that he was not going to hand his daughter over to her. Besides, he was still shocked that a Jedi was standing before him. No one from the Tano tribe had ever met a Jedi before.

At that point, Kido returned with Sha'an in tow. A few other tribesmen had come too. They had overheard Kido tell their leader that a Jedi had come and wanted to see her for themselves.

La Tranz bowed majestically before them.

"Cousin," Sha'an said to Khan. "Let us take our visitor to the Village center, and see what she has to say." It was no secret that he and most of the town still hoped for Ahsoka to become a Jedi, even though Khan had declared to everyone before that he was not going to allow it. Most in the village had accepted this, feeling compassionate after Lilac's death. The presence of the Jedi Master before them however, seemed to renew their hopes in the possibility of one of their own becoming a Jedi Knight.

Khan agreed reluctantly. He ordered Kido into the house where Ahsoka and Ty were. After a protest that was silenced by a stern warning glare, he obeyed. Sha'an sent a few of the other villagers to go and gather their fellow tribesmen to meet in the village center, as was custom for important meetings.

With the arrival of a Jedi, no one wondered what the importance of the impending meeting was about, but excitement bubbled from everyone in excited whispers. Khan did his best to keep a neutral face despite the rinsing feeling of dread and anxiety rising within him. _What if the Jedi would not take no for an answer? Would she take his daughter by force?_

Silently, Khan took a seat in the village's meeting place. The Jedi sat next to him and sent him a friendly smile. Sha'an clasped an encouraging hand on his younger cousin's shoulder, before taking the seat in between him and the Jedi visitor. Still, Khan found no comfort or sympathy in the action. He knew how much Sha'an wanted Ahsoka to go with the Jedi.

"Let us begin our meeting, and hear what the Jedi master has to say," Sha'an declared to the surrounding Togrutans.

Khan took a deep breath, as he prepared for what was to come.


	8. Chapter 8

With another graceful smile, La Tranz stood up to speak, her voice clear and smooth. "Firstly, I would like to thank all you villagers for your kind reception. As many of you already know, I am a Jedi, come all the way to you from Coruscant. Some of us at the Temple have heard reports that there is one among you who is qualified to join our ranks of Jedi Knights. I have come to confirm these reports."

From all around, excited whispers and comments were made. Sha'an motioned for everyone to quiet back down so La Tranz could continue.

"For the past few days, I have been secretly observing your village in order to identify the one who is qualified, which I have. The young girl, Ahsoka, is strong with the force. I wish to take her back with me. At the Jedi Temple, she will be trained in our ways. She will become a strong warrior and will bring great honor and fame to your village. With her families consent, I will take the girl with me tonight."

Once again, everyone present erupted in excitement. They were even louder than before and Sha'an had a hard time calming the crowd. Khan felt sick. It was painfully clear that the others wanted Ahsoka to go. Honor was one of the most important qualities to the people of Shili. But there was one thing he cared about more than honor. His family.

Shakily, Khan stood up to respond. Sha'an looked at him hopefully, thinking that perhaps his younger cousin might have reconsidered his earlier decision now that an actual Jedi was before them.

"I thank you, Master Jedi, for coming all the way out to our humble village. As all of my fellow tribesmen know, honor means a great deal to us. It has been no secret to any of us that my daughter has special abilities… I have no doubt that Ahsoka will bring great honor to us all, but she will do so _here_ , among us. Ahsoka is to remain with me and my family."

It was like a bomb went off. Opinions flew everywhere. Some agreed with Khan's choice, their memories of Lilac' death still fresh, as was their pity. Others were in disagreement and disappointment. Sha'an had no chance of calming the crowd. Finally giving up, he motioned for the Jedi and Khan to follow him to his hut.

The three made their way through the crowd until they reached their destination. Sha'an quickly closed the door and windows so no one could hear their conversation from the outside. The village leader was the first to speak.

"Cousin, perhaps you should reconsider. I know how hard it is to think of letting Ahsoka leave us. But this could be a great thing for her! For all of us!"

"I know you are disappointed, Sha'an. But I have been very clear on this decision ever since my wife died. She did not wish for Ahsoka to become a Jedi, so I will honor her wish. Besides, the choice is for the sake of all my children. Kido and Sha'an have already lost their mother. They will not lose their sister too."

The two cousins were so focused on getting the other to see their view on the matter, they hadn't noticed the dark look in La Tranz's eye. The slight scowl on her face. However, these details were erased with rehearsed practice before the others had a chance to notice. Instead, her face now took on a look of sympathy and hesitation as she broke into the conversation.

"I can only imagine how hard this situation must be for you, Khan. How hard, letting something as precious as a daughter go, must be. But I must warn you. Ahsoka is in grave danger here. We Jedi heard of her, because some of our informants learned there are many bounty hunters who will soon be after her. Many other force sensitive children have already been stolen. I am afraid they are a very valuable thing in the slave market. Many wealthy clients are willingly to pay handsomely for force sensitive children. If Ahsoka remains here, I have no doubt she will soon be kidnapped. If however, you allow her to come with me, she will be safe."

Khan's face was white with this news. When he didn't reply right away, Sha'an cried, "Now you have to let her go, Khan! She could be killed if you don't! Or kidnapped and sold as a slave! You must do what is best for her!"

Khan buried his face in his hands. Looking up, he finally spoke. "I thank you, Master Jedi, for making your way all the way out here. And I thank you for the warning. But my answer remains the same."

"Khan! You can't be serious! There could be a bounty hunter right outside the village for all we know!" Khan recognized true fear for Ahsoka's safety in his cousin's voice.

"We can keep her safe, Sha'an. We have warriors, and we are strong in number. But please, respect my decision."

Sha'an finally capitulated with a bow of his head.

"I must urge you to reconsider," stated the Jedi with a slight glare.

"My choice is final. I won't hand my daughter over to you."

La Tranz's tranquil face was replaced with one of malice as her eyes flashes. "Do you dare doubt _me_ , a Jedi?"

The look in her eyes made Khan's blood go cold for a moment. "I am sorry for your troubles, master Jedi. Believe me, my decision is nothing against you. But as I said before, I must respect my late wife's wishes and do what is best for my family."

"Perhaps you need a few days to think this over," she replied coolly.

"My answer will not change," Khan stated firmly.

"Then I must warn you, you will regret you decision and insolence!" La Tranz exclaimed before exiting the room with a swish of her robes.

/

Back in their home, Kido paced restlessly before the doorway. His father had told him before that he would never let anyone take Ahsoka away. _But what if that blasted Jedi changed his father's mind? Could he possibly be reconsidering to let Ahsoka leave?_

Meanwhile, Ty sat next to the fireplace as he told Ahsoka a story, trying to calm her down. With a frown, he looked down to the young girl in his lap. She hadn't said a word since the Jedi had shown up. At first, she had seemed terrified, clinging to him and whimpering when he had tried to set her down. Ahsoka had always been shy and different, but even that behavior had been strange for her. Perhaps it was just because she had never seen another species apart from what lived on Shili? He thought confidently that his father would be able to politely dismiss the Jedi in the village meeting. She would leave and things would continue on like always. But the meeting had been going on for a while now. They had heard people shouting before…

Ahsoka tried really hard to listen to the story Ty was telling her. But her mind kept wondering back to the scary lady. She had looked weird. She wasn't one of them, that was for sure. But it wasn't the way she looked that had been so frightening, it was the way she _felt_. She felt wrong… bad. She felt like an akul that was hiding in the bushes, waiting to kill. Ahsoka knew she was safe in her older brother's arms. Still, it was like there was a warning going off in her head… Something bad was coming. With a shiver, Ahsoka clung harder to her brother. _What was going on?_


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry for the wait! Thank you for all your reviews, they make writing this even more fun :) Also, sorry for any mistakes/ I do not own Star Wars...

It wasn't much longer before Khan returned. Sha'an was with him. At their arrival, Ahsoka had jumped up and ran into her father's arms. He picked her up and cradled her against him. Sha'an placed a gentle hand on the girls head in greeting.

"I hope you are right in your decision. I will warn the others of the impending threats… Goodnight kids," Sha'an said before exiting the home.

"What happened? Did the Jedi leave? Is she going to take Ahsoka?" Ty and Kido attacked their father with questions. Khan held up a hand to halt their questioning. Then, he repositioned Ahsoka in his arms, before sitting down with her in a chair. He rocked her for a few moments, concerned with her shivering and still trying to slow his own fast beating heart. His head was spinning with the events of the past few hours. La Tanz's threat-like warning was weighing heavily on him already. If any of the villagers died defending his daughter, or if Ahsoka was ever taken or hurt, it would be his fault.

Ty and Kido hovered next to him wordlessly, trying desperately to be patient. Despite his best attempts, Kido couldn't help but to tap his foot restlessly. Khan smiled slightly at this. His younger son never could stay still. Not able to take the wait anymore, Kido finally spoke up. "Dad?" The one word spoke all of his questions.

"Ahsoka is staying here. I told the Jedi so, "Khan answered with a smile. Both boys breathed a sigh of relief at the confirmation. They embraced their father (and consequentially also Ahsoka) and laughed. They had predicted this already, but with so much at stake, they needed to hear it out loud to be sure.

"Where was I going?" Ahsoka finally spoke up. Never once, had the possibility of her being taken away by the Jedi ever been discussed in front of her. Neither did she know that it was for her specifically that La Tranz had come for. All she had known at the moment was that the strange lady was scary and the feeling of trepidation since she had arrived. Now that her father was back however, the feeling was beginning to subside.

The other three glanced wearily at one another. Ahsoka's question still rang in the air. They silently debated with one another what to tell her. Khan apparently deemed that it was just best to explain the matter to her in its simplest form.

"Ahsoka," he began. "You know how we have talked about how special you are?"

She nodded her head and Khan continued. "Well, the special things you can do, it's something that a group of special people, called Jedi can also do. The lady who was here earlier is one of those Jedi. She wanted to take you with her and train you to be a Jedi too."

"But she's not taking you!" Kido cut in quickly.

"You're stuck with us forever, lil sis!" Ty added poking her in the belly playfully.

Ahsoka giggled in response before becoming serious again. "Daddy?" Her voice became a whisper. "Is she coming back? I don't want her to get me."

"No, sweet heart. She has already left. And don't you worry; no one is going to get you."

Ahsoka clung to him tighter.

"Daddy? The lady… she feels bad." Her eyes were wide in fear.

Khan didn't know what she meant exactly, but wanted to ease his daughter's anxiety.

"It's alright, Ahsoka. She is already a long way from here, okay?"

Ahsoka nodded her head. Still sensing her disquiet, Khan began to rock and sing to her like he often did at night. Ty and Kido moved about the room, silently agreeing to prepare the evening meal while their father sang to their sister. Neither of them said so at the moment, but both could tell there was more that he wasn't saying.

When the food was ready, Ahsoka didn't eat much. Her tummy felt tight. Pushing the food around on the plate, her eyes began to droop. When her doll fell to the floor, Khan looked up to see that she had fallen asleep. Sighing at how little she had eaten, he gently picked her up to carry her to bed. When she had turned three, she had gotten to move into the same room as her brothers. Placing her in her small trundle bed, Khan gently covered her in a warm blanket and placed the doll next to her before exiting the room.

Ty and Kido were washing off the dishes when he reentered the common room. Hating the task, they never did so voluntarily. He knew something was up. The fact that both boys were avoiding his eye contact confirmed his suspicions.

"Alright, boys. Out with it," he demanded.

The two brothers exchanged a worried look before Ty spoke up, asking the question that was on both of their minds. "There is something else wrong. Isn't there?"

Khan sat back down in his chair at the table and motioned for the boys to join him. They did so without protest.

Before she left, the Jedi Visitor informed your uncle and I, that there will be bounty hunters after your sister. Somehow, word of her abilities got out. La Tranz said they will try to get her…"

"They are not taking her!" Kido cut in.

"We'll keep her safe! We'll protect her!" Ty added. Khan smiled at the fierce look of determination on his sons' faces, but knew that a 10 and 13 year old could do little against a deadly bounty hunter.

"I know you both are willing to do anything to protect Ahsoka," he said. "But the unfortunate truth is that our will, no matter how strong, is not always enough to keep her safe. Sha'an will have lookouts posted throughout the village each day and night. Still, we must be careful. She is to remain inside the house at all times unless either I or your uncle are with her. I know you usually take turns staying home with her during the day, but from now on, I will need you both looking after her. She is too good at sneaking out under just one pair of eyes."

Kido and Ty normally would be disappointed at the request. They were both eager to prove themselves as hunters, so staying home was a bit of a setback. But their baby sister's life was on the line. A delay in earning their first akul-toothed headdresses was certainly worth it. They each nodded in response.

"And one more thing," Khan added. Make sure you don't discuss this in front of your sister. And make sure she doesn't overhear anyone in the village talking about it either. It will only scare her."

Again, both boys promised to honor their father's request. Soon after, they set off to bed. They normally liked to sleep with the window open, but with the threat fresh on their minds, they made sure to close it tight.

Khan remained sitting at the table several hours more. The day was weighing heavily upon him and he was exhausted. Still, with his mind running a million miles an hour, he knew sleep would only invade him. Besides, he still was not completely sure he had made the right choice. What if a bounty hunter did come for his daughter? What if another villager was killed trying to defend her? What if one of his sons were killed? Part of him wanted to chase after the Jedi and hand Ahsoka over, just for her own well-being. Still, Khan knew he could never give her up. And for some reason, the thought of Master La Tranz taking Ahsoka felt treacherous. He thought about what Ahsoka had said about her. She said she had _felt_ bad. And when it had become clear during the meeting that La Tarnz could not have Ahsoka, her eyes had changed from being calm and gentle, to the eyes of a snake. These thoughts somewhat reassured Khan in his decision. No doubt that others in the village would be giving him grief for the next few weeks, but he could handle it. Besides, maybe the Jedi had dramatized the danger as a scare tactic. After briefly checking on his children, he finally felt calm enough to try to sleep. Dawn was now only a few hours away.


	10. Chapter 10

She had been waiting for hours. She could still see light streaming through the open window of the house she watched. The night air was bitter and she pulled the cloak around her tightly as she scowled in the direction of the house. Crouched behind the tree at the forest's edge, La Tranz continued to wait, like a wolf ready to pounce.

La Tranz had first heard rumors of a force sensitive child on Shili weeks ago. They were rare finds (and goldmine prizes for any bounty hunter). Those kids were worth a fortune and there were always buyers for them. Plenty of filthy rich sleemos wanted to own their own personal force sensitive slave. After all, they were not only impossibly rare but the powers they held were well worth the price. Normally, those kids were picked up by the blasted Jedi, but the rumors that she had heard were proven true. Some trader, who often did business with different tribes on Shili, had claimed to have overheard a conversation that there was a force sensitive kid in a nearby tribe. La Tranz had then overheard the trader sharing that information with his friend when she was at a bar in some backwater planet. At first, she dismissed the info. But bounty that such a find could bring would leave her set for life. She couldn't pass up the opportunity. She was a bounty hunter after all.

Weeks of searching and planning were about to pay off. But the blasted Togrutan man had refused to hand the child over like she had planned. Ugh the fool! She had counted on the village's ridiculous value of honor to help convince him to release the girls to her. If honor was so highly prized, having one of their own being given the chance to become a 'Jedi' was like catnip. Unfortunately the girl's father had remained strong in his refusal. Well no one was standing in her way! She was not going to miss out on her fortune.

Finally, La Tranz saw the light within the house diminished. It wouldn't be much longer now. She only needed to wait a bit more to ensure the occupants were all fast asleep. Then, she could slip in, grab the girl, and escape in her ship. Really, she should have just done this in the first place. Originally, she had expected it to be easier to simply disguise herself as a Jedi. Doing so _should_ have allowed her to walk out with the girl with the blessing of the villagers.

Another half hour wait and the bounty hunter figured it was time. Stretching out her frozen limbs, she silently made her way to the house.

/

Ahsoka awoke with a small gasp. She'd had a bad dream. In it, she had seen the scary lady again. With a shiver, Ahsoka pulled her blanket more tightly around herself. Snuggling Tali closer, she debated going to her daddy. He always let her sleep with him when she had a bad dream. But she was a big girl now… Maybe she should be brave like the rest of her family. Brave girls could handle bad dreams on their own.

Ahsoka was still deciding on what to do when she felt it. It was the same warning-like feeling she had earlier. There was something bad. And it was coming. She felt her heart beat fasten. Whatever the bad thing was, it was in the house, and it was coming closer.

Ahsoka was fighting hysteria now. Should she wake her brothers? What if the bad thing hurt one of them? Should she hide? Ahsoka ducked under the blankets and pulled them tightly around herself. She could hear footsteps and the slight swoosh of the bedroom curtain being drawn back.

More footsteps followed. It was by her bed. Holding back a sob, Ahsoka kept as still as she could. Suddenly, she felt the world around her shift. In one swift motion, the bad thing had scooped her up, knap-sacking her in the blankets.

On instinct, Ahsoka lashed out. A small shriek of terror escaped and her doll was dropped in the process. The bad thing's hold on her was readjusted and tightened. A cold hand was clamped firmly over her mouth and everything around her turned to a blur as she was carted away. As the night air hit the small girl, she realized in horror that the bad thing was the scary lady from before.

/

Ty slowly opened his eyes. Sitting up, he rubbed them for a few moments in order to see. "Is okay, Soka… just a bad dream," he uttered groggily. He had heard Ahsoka shriek and a small thump. Ty figured she must have had a bad dream, which happened from time to time.

Finally, he turned his head to the bed across the room. The bed where his baby sister should have been. But the bed was empty.

Frowning, he walked over. The blankets were missing and the doorway curtain was open. Had she left for their father's room? She usually did when she had nightmare, but she never took the blankets with her.

Ty turned behind him to see the window still closed. He turned back again to see Ahsoka's doll discarded on the floor. She never went anywhere without that thing…

Walking to bedroom doorway, he saw that the other curtain to the house entrance was also open, at the same time the day's events came flooding back to him. His heart froze in horror as the awful realization hit him. _No no no no!_ "DDAAAADDD!"

/

Ahsoka whimpered and continued to struggle against her captor. Unfortunately, all of her attempts did nothing as the hold on her was to tight and she too small. The bounty hunter was running fast through the forest and told her again to shut up and stop squirming.

Although the blankets that she was currently stuck in further hindered any escape attempts, Ahsoka was somewhat grateful for them as the night air was freezing. She had no idea why the scary lady had taken her, but she knew she wasn't a Jedi like her father had said.

Ahsoka continued her futile attempts as the woman carried her further and further away from her home. From her family. She just wanted to go home. To return to her father and brothers and to be safe with them. Despite her attempts, the young girl felt tears pool into her eyes and sniffled. "Please let me go!"

"Shut it kid!"

"I want my daddy!"

La Tranz dropped the blankets that covered Ahsoka and gave her a hard shake. "I said shut up! One more noise out of you and I'll snap your wrists!"

Ahsoka sniffed again but kept her mouth shut. It was cold without the blankets and she was already starting to shiver. She could feel the tears falling down her cheeks and did her best to not allow any sobs to escape. The woman ignored her state and continued to run.

Just then, Ahsoka felt a warning of a danger just ahead. The woman, oblivious, continued to run right for it. Before Ahsoka could do anything, an akul leapt out of the bushes and tackled them both. Ahsoka was knocked out of the bounty hunters hold. Everything was a blur and she heard the woman scream in both fear and anger. Gnashing teeth and the sounds of baster fire followed as she desperately tried to scoot back away from the battle before her and into the cover of a bush. More screams from both the beast and woman followed as the fight went on. The lady's face was bloody, and it was then that Ahsoka realized now was the chance for her to escape. She heard the akul cry out in rage again as it was wounded by the woman's blaster fire.

Knowing she didn't have long before either the lady or the akul would win the fight and then be after her, Ahsoka took off running back into the direction of her home.

She ran fast, careful to avoid the creeping tree roots and vines that were eager to trip her. Her breaths came out in white cloudy puffs. _Get home! Get home!_ She told herself in set determination.

Without warning, something heavy tackled her to the ground and she cried out. "You little whelp! I would kill you now if I didn't need you alive!" La Tranz raised a hand to strike her, and Ahsoka closed her eyes and coward in expectation of the impact.

Suddenly, another figured burst forth from the trees with a glowing stick. Ahsoka rolled away under a small rock formation a few feet off as La Tranz was again tackled to the ground. More blaster fire was heard, along with a strange clanging sound. Scared, Ahsoka curled into the fetal position and plugged her hears, waiting for the fight to end. She had no idea who the newcomer was, and she just wanted to go home.

The scary noises stopped almost as fast as they had started. Cautiously, Ahsoka removed her hands from her head and wiped at the tears on her face. She couldn't hear the fighting anymore, but felt the presence of the newcomer.

In what she knew to be a risky move, Ahsoka slowly crawled out of the little cave. The woman lay some ways away face down in the foliage. Ahsoka couldn't tell if she was dead or alive. A scary looking man of a species she did not know was standing a couple meters away. A dark mask covered most of his face. She gasped at the sight and instantly ducked back into her hideout.

"It's okay little one. I won't hurt you. You're safe now," he said. It was a deep but kind voice. It was the complete opposite of the cold snake-like voice of the lady. Hesitantly, Ahsoka poked her head out again to get a better view of the newcomer. It was still dark, but the start of dawn provided just enough light for her to make out the orange of his skin that was not covered by the mask. He wore a flowing robe like the lady did, but unlike hers which was extravagantly embroidered, his was a simple and humble brown.

Looking back to his face, Ahsoka felt no malice or threat like she did when looking at the bounty hunter, but was filled with a sense of comfort and warmth. This man was good. She could trust him. She just knew.

"What is your name, little one? He asked as he leaned down on to one knee to be closer to her height. He made no move to get closer, knowing that if he did so he might lose what trust he was trying to build.

Before she could answer, there was the sound of running feet and a cry of "Ahsoka!"

A spear came flying through the air. Before she could blink, the man had leapt towards her, shielding her protectively as he simultaneously pulled his glowing stick back out. Standing in a defensive position with the child tucked safely in one arm, he shouted, "Lay your weapons down! I come as a friend!"

"Daddy!" Ahsoka cried in excitement, seemingly oblivious to any danger.

Nearly a dozen armed men, including Ahsoka's father and brothers, surrounded them in an offensive circle, weapons raised and ready to strike.

"Release my daughter, Bounty Hunter!" Khan demanded.

"Bounty hunters do not carry lightsabers," the man spoke in a surprisingly calm voice. Gently, he placed Ahsoka on the ground. She immediately took off running and leapt into Khan's arms, who breathed an enormous sigh of relief as he embraced her.

The others made no move to lower their weapons, instead waiting for further instructions from Sha'an who had his own spear still raised. "Who are you and why did you take my niece?" he demanded with a growl.

The man didn't seem phased. Deactivating his lightsaber, he removed his hood and spoke. "I am Jedi Master Plo Koon. I come to you as a friend."

Sha'an scoffed. "We already had a Jedi here yesterday, and you are most certainly nothing like her. She warned us that you, bounty hunter scum, would be after the girl."

"I assure you, I am no bounty hunter, but a Jedi. I was sent because we believed the youngling to be in danger, of which she was."

Sha'an was about to accuse him of lying when Ahsoka spoke up from where she was still being held by Khan. "He's good! Daddy, he saved me from the scary lady."

She looked imploringly up to her father. "I think..." Khan began uncertainly. "Cousin, I think this man is telling the truth. The woman from yesterday, she was the real bounty hunter."

Sha'an looked back to Plo Koon, as the truth of it all sunk in for each of them.


End file.
